Father Figures

I'm pretty sure everyone has a father. At least biologically. 

I've been fortunate enough to have had both a biological father and a father who raised me. They were even the same person. How lucky is that?

I've also had a couple people who were father-type figures. Men I looked up to and depended on for advice and for being an example of how I want to live my life. I want to talk about my father figures today. For some of this, it will be reopening some old wounds. However, I'm hoping that by opening these wounds, I will finally cleanse the last of the infection and really, truly heal. From the bad experiences anyway. I hope to continue to use the good experiences to be the man I want to be.

When I was nineteen I served a mission for my church. I went to Peru. I loved the country and the people there. It's still a huge part of who I am and I am still in contact with many people I met there. I met President Alpha (name changed, but if you know who he is, this is a pretty good play on his actual name) about halfway through my training period before flying to Peru. President Alpha was going to be a brand new mission president (most serve for three years). I didn't speak much Spanish at the time, but I felt a connection with my president and couldn't wait to work with him in the mission field.

In my almost two years in Peru, I grew close to President Alpha. He was a good man. He cared for his missionaries. He was good to his family. He was cheerful. A hard worker. Deeply spiritual. I felt he cared about me personally, not just as one of his missionaries. The day after I was robbed at knife-point, President Alpha stopped by to make sure I was recovering from the trauma. I felt that he truly read my weekly letters to him. He often gave me good advice. I would have enjoyed working more closely with him in the mission office, but I was glad that I was able to work exclusively in the field.

I was looking forward to my final interview with him, just before returning home. I hoped to receive some advice on how to make the transition back into the regular world. I hoped to hear that I had been a good missionary. All I remember from that interview was that President Alpha said that my shirt was too worn and, as such, inappropriate to wear. In fairness, I was wearing a shirt that was well-worn. However, I was saving my best shirt to wear on the trip home. That way I could be wearing my best to see my family for the first time in two years. I tried to explain this to President Alpha, but he insisted I go change immediately. I was crushed. Two years of service and all I was told was to change my shirt? Ouch.

Several years later President Alpha and his family moved to Utah. I renewed our relationship and visited his home several times. I loved to be there. I felt welcome and loved. In this time-frame I also started an internet relationship with a fellow missionary who was from Peru. I even visited her there for two weeks. After returning home I broke up with her. It wasn't a good breakup. Around this time I stopped hearing from President Alpha. I don't know if the two events are related. I invited him to my wedding, but didn't hear anything from him.

We're still "facebook friends," but I don't know if we'll ever be closer than that. I'd kind of like that, but I don't know if I dare.

My other "deep wound" came from my own father. Don't get me wrong. My father is a good man and a good father. As kids we have always felt his love, even if he didn't articulate that very often. My dad and I are very different people. We have some similar interests and characteristics, but our personalities are very different. I always found it difficult to talk to him. Our conversations were usually rather superficial. To be honest, I often felt that his church callings were a higher priority than I was. That's possibly just my perception, but it's how I felt. 

A couple years ago I was living in Provo, UT. I hadn't been active in the church for years. I would go every now and again, but I always found excuses to not go consistently. While in Provo I received a letter from my father. I thought it was odd, but was intrigued. I wish I could quote the letter to you, but I burned it. I do remember that it was six pages long.

The overall message I got was that I was not a good son because I didn't attend church on a regular basis. I cannot express how much that letter hurt me. Honestly, I'm to the point that I would like to sit down with my dad and tell him how much that letter hurt. How bad it made me feel.

Unfortunately, due to Alzheimer's my dad probably doesn't remember writing that letter. I'm sure he doesn't because every time I see him I'm not Adam. I'm Brad (my oldest brother). I try not to take that personally, but it hurts a little each time it happens. So my hurt is unresolved and unlikely to be resolved in this life.

I'm hoping that by bleeding the wound it will fester less. 

The experience has certainly taught me to be careful with my future children. I guess that can be my goal, to learn from my relationship with my father and father figures to know how to treat those around me.

Talk Show Hosts...

I just finished reading American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson. It's his autobiography. I wish I could afford to stay up later so I could watch his talk show. I think he's a very interesting person and I like his style as host of the Late, Late Show. He's funny and personable. 

He had an interesting life. He managed to overcome several addictions. It was a nice triumph to read.

What interests me more is that he seems to be a genuinely happy person. It's rare you see that. He claims that he likes Dave Letterman because Dave seems bitter and cynical, and that fits Craig. I don't buy it. Maybe Craig used to be bitter and cynical, but I don't think he is anymore. 

The other talk show host I like (yep, only one other) is Ellen Degeneres. I like Ellen because she's happy. Her show is always upbeat and positive. I mean, she starts each episode out by dancing with the audience. 

I like watching talk show hosts that make me feel good. That's why I like Ellen and Craig. 

Once More...

I blame Transmetropolitan. 

I didn't think I would, but I'm writing political again. Nothing major or inflammatory, I think. I just have one thing I want to discuss: Political Ads on TV.

Here's the thing. I keep seeing ads dedicated to telling me why I should NOT vote for a specific candidate. This really bugs me. 

If you wish me to vote for a specific candidate, tell me what that candidate wishes to accomplish. And, if he is seeking to be re-elected, tell me what he did while in office that would indicate he deserves to have the job again.

If you run ads telling me why I should not vote for other candidates, you're trying to get me to vote for your candidate by process of elimination. That's not a good way to get votes. That's a good way to convince people not to vote at all. Which I guess could possibly accomplish your objective in a way.

The only ad I've seen so far that fits what I would like to see in a political ad was for Jim Matheson. It listed what he voted for in Congress and what he would like to do. I'll have to see the ad a couple more times to remember all the points exactly, but there was one that stood out to me.

Jim Matheson voted to NOT give the members of Congress a pay raise. I kind of think that getting a pay raise should not be decided by the people getting the raise. I would think that a lot of people would say, "A raise? Do I want more money? Yes." So that one point makes me want to vote for Matheson.

But to get back to my main point, when running an ad tell me why I should vote for a candidate. I want to hear what he wants to accomplish and what he has already done. 

 

Slightly Political

Here's the thing. I don't wax political often. Mostly because I don't share the same political views as the majority of my family and I like to stay on speaking terms with them. I also don't share the same political views with the majority of my state and I don't like being picked on or bullied by the majority.

Am I thrilled with everything that has happened during the current presidential term? No. However, I don't think President Obama deserves the blame for every bad thing going on in the country. He's still trying to clean up the mess the previous president made, while being hampered by a Republican controlled House of Representatives that, to me, seems to have taken an almost childish pleasure in saying, "no," to anything and everything he's tried to do.

So, let's look at what Clinton left Bush: A budget surplus of 237 billion and record low poverty rates. What did Bush leave Obama? A deficit of 1.2 TRILLION, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

So now we have a new presidential election coming up. Mitt Romney is the Republican candidate. I'm supposed to like him, because he's a Mormon and so am I, but I don't think I'll vote for him. And not because he's Mormon. Because, according to my most trusted political news source, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, his budget plans include a big tax break for the wealthy. The wealthy would include Mr. Romney. Doesn't seem right to me. Also, I just don't see evidence of Trickle-down economics working. 

So I'll vote Democrat for president and my vote won't count. Why? Because of the electoral college system. The majority of Utah will vote Republican, which means that all of Utah's electoral college votes will be Republican. 

Okay, enough with the bad part of the election process. 

During a presidential election year, I think the absolute best piece of literature to read is Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson. Transmet was a comic book series that ran for 60 issues, currently collected in 10 trade paperbacks. It's set in the future and has many science fiction elements, but the core concept is a journalist's take on the presidential election.

The journalist is Spider Jerusalem. He was based on Hunter S. Thompson. The character claims to be searching for the truth and he doesn't really care who gets hurt by his quest.  It's a hilarious book that presents a critique of our society today. I guarantee you'll see a connection to whatever election is going on when you read the series. 

Why? Because the writer, Warren Ellis, is fascinated by U.S. politics. He's from England, by the way. It was he who pointed out a fact that I find quite amusing. A communist country is often referred to as a "Red State." Or was. I'm not sure if it still is. Most Republicans are vocally opposed to anything remotely resembling communism or socialism. As states submit their results in the presidential election those that have voted Republican are colored red. Thus, Republican states become "Red States." 

And on the subject of socialism and communism, having nationalized healthcare is not communist. Personally I think we should just copy and paste South Korea's system. Why? Because it WORKS. I paid about a small amount a month for my insurance.I can't remember exactly how much. It was just taken out of my check, so I never missed it. My employer paid the other half of my insurance. Anytime I felt sick I could go to the hospital and see a doctor. There was usually hardly any waiting. Why? Because the doctors get paid according to how many people they see, so they are interested in taking care of you as quickly as possible. And I never felt dismissed. The cost? One visit I saw the doctor, got chest x-rays, and paid for my prescription. Total amount out of my wallet? $20. Yeah. It's cheap.

Anyway, enough of my soapbox for now. I don't know that I'll get political again. I don't want to deal with the arguments.

Aladdin at Tuacahn

Saturday I went to see the production of Aladdin at Tuacahn.

Overall, I would give my experience a "B."

The show itself gets an A. It would be an A+, except that the "star" of the show, Mr. Aladdin himself, seemed like he was just going through the paces. He didn't seem to be putting a whole lot of effort into it. It was obvious he had done this a thousand times and was just doing it by rote that night. 

The three narrators were amazing. I couldn't wait for them to come back on stage each time. They were funny and had great harmony. They were aware that they were in a play and had many funny asides to the audience. Iago wasn't a parrot this time. He was a little person and was hilarious to watch.

There were great special effects! Explosions galore! When it came time for the cave of wonders, they projected the cave onto a fountain spray. It looked awesome! When Aladdin went into the cave, they projected the cave background onto a screen. In 3D! I was wondering why they handed out 3D glasses at a live stage production. During "A Whole New World," Aladdin and Jasmine went for a magic carpet ride. The carpet lifted off the stage and soared over the audience. 

The other members of the audience get an F. First of all, a good percentage of the patrons there brought their young kids. And by young I mean 5 years old and under. It was ridiculous. Just because your kids enjoy watching the Disney movie Aladdin does not mean they will enjoy a three hour Stage production of the same story! Many people showed up late and sat down after the initial number had started. One family even showed up a half hour into the performance! I couldn't believe they did that. Or that the ushers let them!

The worst part of the audience? There were probably 50 or 60 people who stood up and left BEFORE THE FINALE!  I was flabbergasted! I still am I guess.

I'd like to see the show again. However, I would like to see it with a better audience. Maybe a smaller, indoor venue. It probably wouldn't have the awesome special effects, but I think I might enjoy it even more.

 

NOT BEDIA #20: A Failed Experiment

There are many reasons I could list for why this blogging every day was a failed experiment. I still like the idea. Quite a bit, actually, but I missed my third day and figured it was "three strikes I'm out." 

The worst part is that I have had plenty of time to make a post every day. I don't have a job yet. I guess some days I just got too wrapped up in myself and didn't make a post.

Kind of sad, but that's how it is.

The job hunt isn't going all that well. I had two interviews last week. I called today to follow up and found out the positions had been filled. It was a bummer to hear that.

It's been a rough week, that's for sure. Not just with the job hunt, but with other things happening as well.

So I just keep moving forward. 

Hmmm, maybe I should watch "Meet the Robinsons" again.

BEDIA #19: Les Miserables

I haven't managed to read the book. Yet. It's been on my "To-Read" list for years. Though, to be honest, I prefer Victor Hugo's poetry to what I've read of his prose. 

I went and saw a production of the musical based on Hugo's most famous work. It was produced by the Utah Shakespeare Festival. 

While the Festival has a pretty high success rate for the productions I've seen, I have to admit that I was rather disappointed with their version of "Les Mis." 

It had a couple high moments, usually whenever the actress playing Eponine was singing. Unfortunately, she didn't sing nearly enough to save the entire production in my eyes.

On the plus side, my disappointment tonight has made me that much more excited for the movie coming out in December.

BEDIA #18: A Problem...

I've been back in the USA for about a month and a half now, and I've noticed a problem. 

I've gained at least 12 pounds. 

How do I know this? When I was unpacking boxes, I came across a scale, so I weighed myself. I've been weighing myself periodically since then and watching the number rise.

I know what I need to do to fix this and make it better. I just lack the motivation.

I'm pretty sure it's affecting my self-image and depression.

Like I said, I know how to fix the problem, I just don't have the drive to keep myself motivated.

I think a job would help. Keep me distracted and on the right track. 

I guess I'll see where this goes.

BEDIA #17: The Lord of the Rings

I love The Lord of the Rings. I've been reading the trilogy (and The Hobbit) over and over for as long as I can remember. I just find the whole story so intriguing. It mesmerizes me. I'll admit that I prefer The Hobbit, but it's only by a little.

I love the movies as well. After the third came out on DVD, I went through and watched the series through. Not all in one sitting, but withing a week. I had read the series just prior to this viewing. After this experience I decided that I was fairly comfortable with most of the changes that had been made. I get that you can't translate a book to the movie screen page for page, word for word. It just wouldn't work. I think there were a couple changes that didn't work for me, but it's been long enough that I can't remember what they were.

Whenever I have a project that requires a great deal of attention, I like to put the appendices to the LOTR movies into the DVD player and just let it play in the background as I work. These appendices came with the 4-disc extended editions of the films.

Today as I work on another project, I have the appendices playing. As always, I'm amazed by the planning that went into the movies. The storyboards, the script, the creation of the world the movies exist in. It's mind-boggling. The amount of thought and imagination that went into the movie trilogy is amazing. 

Even more amazing is the passion that those involved had for the project. All the principle movers and shakers were huge, huge fans of the books. Even some of the principle actors were fans. Christopher Lee in particular was the one cast member that other actors went to if they had any questions. He was the only member of the cast who had actually met Tolkien.

When the first film was released, I went to see it with a couple friends of mine. I was so enthralled with what was happening on film that I only moved once during the film. I was frozen in place. I get emotional at places in the film. 

Even now, watching the "behind the scenes" featurettes, I get a little emotional. I feel they are great movies, inspired by amazing books.

 

BEDIA #16: My Computer

My laptop has put up with some serious use. My last laptop lasted about 4 years before it was just too much of a dinosaur to deal with anymore. 

My current laptop isn't a dinosaur, it's just having some physical issues. It has three USB ports; two on one side, near the DVD drive, one on the other side. The two by the drive have this problem where they collapse into the computer, so that if you try to plug any sort of USB into them, they push further back. I have a multi USB attachment on the other side, but I like to have use of all my ports, because sometimes I need all of them.

I fixed this problem once before, and I can do it again, I just wish I didn't have to.

And I certainly don't want to shop for a new computer. It's not necessary and I can't afford it anyway.

Stupid technology.

 

BEDIA #15: The Job Hunt

I'm pretty sure that most people dislike hunting for jobs. It's a tortuous process that lends itself well to causing all sorts of stress.

Here's why it's particularly hard for me. 

I'm an introvert with some self esteem issues. 

As an introvert, I find it very difficult to promote myself. I don't like to say "Pick me! Pick me!" and that's exactly what a job hunt is. I also tend to downplay my own accomplishments. That's not a good thing when you want to convince someone to hire you.

After making the effort to promote myself and try to convince people to hire me, I feel very vulnerable. So if I don't get the job, it hurts my self image. 

So job hunts are bad for me. I've been having some success, at least a couple interviews, but I'm beginning to feel the pressure of needing to have a job so I can have some income. 

Almost to the point of applying for a food service job. 

Almost.

BAEDIA #14: Not Quite There...

So I've missed two days of writing so far in August. I think I'll stick with the original acronym BEDIA if only because it's more aesthetically pleasing that BAEDIA, which stands for Blog Almost Every Day In August. 

I don't even have any good reasons to have missed those days, other than I was out with my wife and completely forgot to blog. Both times. 

Today's is going to be very short. I've misplaced my Kindle. It's inside of Misery by Stephen King. I have no idea where I left it. That disturbs me just a little bit. 

I hate losing things, especially things I really like.

So I'm going to go look for it.

BEDIA #13: Getting My Craft On

Last year, before traveling to Korea, I bought a Kindle. Of course, with my luck, I bought one just before Amazon revamped the line, drastically reducing prices on the model I bought. Oh well, that's just how it works. 

Anyway, I also purchased a case for my Kindle, but it didn't protect the gadget as well as I had hoped. I couldn't stuff it in a backpack because the case didn't protect from pressure. Something had to change.

So I made my own case out of a used book I was never going to read. I was excited for the case and I truly appreciated the irony of putting an e-reader inside of an actual book.

When I got back to the USA, I noticed that my hand-made case was not working as well anymore. The velcro I used to hold the Kindle inside the space wasn't fastening anymore. I needed a new case. Or new velcro, I guess, but I decided to make a new case anyway.

While shopping at the local used book store, I looked at several books to determine their suitability. I didn't love most of them. Either the dimensions weren't right, or I didn't like the color of the cover inside the dust jacket. Finally I found one I really liked that also worked thematically for my purpose: Misery by Stephen King. Inside the dust jacket, the book is black and grey, with metallic read letters on the spine. It also has a metallic red "SK" on the front cover.

I took the book home and started my project. The first step was to glue the pages together. This is easier than it sounds. All I did was mix Elmer's glue with water, probably 60 to 40 percent. Then I painted the edges of the closed book pages. After placing the dust jacket between the glued section and the first couple pages, I closed the cover and stack several books on top. 

After the pages dried, I traced the Kindle on the top glued page. I started cutting out the pages with a utility blade. I cut down far enough that the Kindle would fit inside. After the cutting was done, I applied the glue mixture to the inside, then let it dry again. 

Using hot glue, I attached a strip of elastic to the inside of the front cover so the book won't flop open when I don't want it to. After that the case was finished.

I really like it, but I'm already thinking of improvements for the next one I make.

 

BEDIA #12 Lunches with Denny and Lloyd

When I'm in Cedar City I like to have lunch (or dinner) with two friends: Denny and Lloyd. We meet at the bowling alley here and eat. Trust me, the food's really quite good. We get together at least once a month, if not more often.

I enjoy the food, of course, but even more important is what we talk about.

We discuss our writing. We talk about the projects we're working on. We talk about the struggles we're having with a particular story. We talk about cool ideas we came up with.

The nice part about discussing these ideas is that we get to see if the ideas are really good or just good inside our heads. Plus we give each other suggestions and ideas to make the ideas even better.

One thing we're planning on doing is workshopping drafts of our stories. This may make the lunches (dinners) last longer, but I think it will be worth it. Every writer needs someone to read what he is writing. I mean, what is the point of writing if no one is going to read the story. Second, fresh perspectives are essential for any good story. I know the story in my head. I know the backstory of the characters, I know what they want and what they don't like. Having someone read my story lets me see if I managed to convey the story effectively on paper. It lets me know if the words I chose were sufficient. And it lets me know if the story really needs to be rewritten. 

I'm looking forward to workshopping with Denny and Lloyd. They're both great writers and help me be better myself. We work well together, see different aspects of story.

Plus we laugh a lot. It's a good thing for me to do. I can't wait for the next one. Think I'll have to set it up.

BEDIA #11 Whoops!

So, a couple months ago I got an email from soulgeek.com, which is website for geeks to find other geeks to date. 

This email said that I had received a message from someone who was interested in my profile. I'm betting you can figure out what the problem with this email was. Yep. I'm married and I forgot to delete my profile from the site.

I sent a return message to the poor girl, explaining that I was married and that I had forgotten to take care of the dating site issue. Then I sent an email to the site administrators, asking them to delete my profile and why.

I was rather embarrassed by the email. It was weird and awkward and something I hope never happens again. 

But now I find the incident a little amusing, though I feel bad for the woman who contacted me. It's a horrible thing to build up the courage to send a message to a guy you find on a website then to have him tell you, "Sorry, I'm married." That's just depressing so I hope she's ok. 

BEDIA #10: Verbal Agreement With My Wife...

Don't worry, it's nothing scary.

Chelsea likes dogs. I'm not such a fan. I get along with them just fine, they're just a little needy for my tastes. I guess that's why I like Ojo as much as I do; he's pretty self-sufficient for the most part. If he wants attention and you don't immediately respond, he'll just rub his face on your leg and be just fine. Kind of like a cat.

I'm more of a cat person, and Chelsea just doesn't like them very much. 

So we made an agreement. I could have a cat if she could get a breed of dog she really likes. The breed? Cane Corso. If you look that breed up you'll notice that what she really wants is a slobbery pony. And she wants it to be a house dog. 

I'll be ok with that dog because I get to have my cat. 

I would have been happy with any short hair cat. Recently I found the kind of cat I really want. They're called Munchkin Cats. Why? Well, they have really, really short legs. They're the wiener dogs of the cat world. Unlike the wiener dog, they don't really have any health issues because the short legs are the result of a natural mutation. Here's a picture:

Cute, right? I think it would be awesome to get a Munchkin Cat with Scottish fold ears. Those are the ears that fold up right against the cat's head. Apparently you can't mate two Munchkin cats and get a Munchkin litter. No, that litter would turn out normal. But when you mate the Munchkin with a regular cat, half to all of the litter will be Munchkin. 

According to what I've read, Munchkins are friendly and easy going and keep a lot of the good kitten qualities. I hope to find one to adopt when we're ready for a cat. 

 

BEDIA #9: Jeff Noon

Jeff Noon is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I really enjoy reading his books. I guess this opinion could change, as I have several of his books left to read, but so far I have a very favorable opinion of them.

Noon writes Speculative Fiction (the Literature Class term for Science Fiction) mixed with fantasy. I read an article somewhere that described his writing as "Psychedelic Science Fiction." I rather like that description.

My introduction to Jeff Noon came when I read Nymphomation. If I remember right, this was a book about a group of mathematicians who invented a way for information and numbers to grow and reproduce, which produces radical new information. It's hard to describe the plot, but it's a wonderful place in which to get lost.

While in Korea I read Automated Alice, which was a trequel to the first two Alice books, written as if Lewis Carroll had written a third book where Alice travels to the future through a grandfather clock. It was as trippy and non-sensical as the previous Alice books. 

I just finished a collection of short stories called Pixel Juice. While I didn't like each story in the collection, it was a great thing for me to read, as reading this book lead to many new story ideas that I hope to develop in the near future.

The way Jeff Noon describes colors and sensations is almost intoxicating. I've never tried drugs, but reading his books is the closest I've been to tripping out on some illicit substance. It was a fun adventure, but not one I'm anxious to repeat physically.

Next on my Jeff Noon reading list is Vurt, a novel about getting high by sucking on feathers of different colors. I can't wait to read it.

BEDIA #8 Getting a Dog

I've mentioned our dog a couple times. Ojo is his name. Well, now it is anyway...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

After I made a trip to Denver from Seoul for my sister's wedding, Chelsea told me she wanted to get a dog. We had discussed getting a dog in the future, when we had the space for it, because to be honest, Chelsea wants a horse-sized dog. 

I thought about it, and, as we had decided to stay in Korea until November, I figured it was worth the effort to get a dog, get it adjusted to our apartment at the Village, then uproot it and take it to the States.

Chelsea and I started browsing an animal rescue website. It included profiles and updates and listed whether or not the dog was up to date on its vaccinations. We both rather liked a little dog named Bubbles (we both hated the name), but he ended up going home with a couple that sent an email inquiry before we did. 

That was a bummer, but we kept looking. We saw a little dog that looked like he had a cute personality. His name was Eun Chong, and he lived in DaeJeon. He had had his bark removed, but had a rep for trying to bark anyway. We felt it was cruel to remove a bark and something we would never do, but we figured it would be a bonus for us. 

Chelsea sent a message to the animal shelter and we planned a trip to DaeJeon, which is a story of its own. We stayed the weekend, but never heard from the animal shelter. 

Chelsea found a third little dog named Harry. I wasn't sold from his profile, but Chelsea wanted to arrange a meeting. I was ok with that, so off we went to Seoul.

It was obvious from the first few minutes that Harry wasn't a regular dog. He was more interested in wandering than hanging out with us. It was also obvious that everybody liked this little dog. Schoolkids stopped to pet him. Adults did the same. He was patient with them, but would wander off when he was done with the attention. 

After our visit, we went back to the Village and discussed what we thought. We both liked the dog, but thought the name had to go. We decided to adopt him and changed his name to Ojo, though we couldn't bear to break the news to his foster-lady.

After taking him home, we started noticing some quirks. He walks into table legs. He always turns around counter-clockwise. It took him four months to bark, and then it was at the thunder, which is his Mortal Enemy. He didn't know how to do stairs, and still struggles with them. And he has many cat-like tendencies.

Getting him back to the States was an adventure, but that's another story.

Watching Chelsea sleep. He actually almost tried to join her on the loveseat.

 

BEDIA#7 Seoul Tower

Hmm, my blogger.com dashboard says that I just passed ten thousand page views. Thanks for reading!

When Chelsea's parents visited us in South Korea, we tried to think of all the cool, tourist-y things that we could do with them. One of the things we decided on was to visit Seoul Tower. 

Seoul Tower is a rather famous landmark. You can see it from just about anywhere in Seoul due to both its height and it's location on one of the taller hills in the area. 

We traveled the subway to the correct spot then started looking for the cable-car landing. After wandering a ways and hiking up some steep streets we finally found what we were looking for. We had to stand in line and wait to be able to ride the cable-car up to the grounds the Tower actually stands on. It took a while, but we lucked out and were at the front of the line when our car arrived. We took up positions at the front of the car. 

I'm afraid of heights and it made me weak to see the ground fall farther and farther away, knowing that I was suspended underneath a cable in a basket crammed with people. If the cable gave out, there was no way we would live. 

Obviously we didn't have any problems. 

It was kind of a hazy day in Seoul. From the top of the hill we could see most of the city, obscured by the haze. While Chelsea and her parents decided to look into riding to the top of the tower, I had had enough of heights for the day and wanted to stay at the base of the tower. There was plenty to see. 

On top of the height issue, a singer/musician was setting up to play some music from the Andes and I wanted to listen. I chatted a bit with him as he was waiting for his start time. Turns out he was from Lima, Peru. I didn't have a chance to ask why he was in Korea, as he was almost ready to start playing and singing. 

It was rather comforting to find a little bit of Peru in Korea. I liked his music so much that I bought two of his CDs. He signed both. His name is Rafael Molina. I don't know his maternal last name. Super nice guy and a great musician. 

 

BEDIA #6 The Search for a Job...

I know, I know. I was supposed to write the second half of the story of my trip to the DMZ. I'm really just not feeling that topic right now, you know? So I'm going back to a planned topic that I skipped before, because I feel like writing about this tonight.

I hate job-hunting. The reason I stick with the jobs I get, even when I'm not exactly happy in those jobs, is because I hate the process of hunting for a job. I don't like putting myself on the line and getting rejected. It can be damaging sometimes, especially when I feel like a job is perfect for me and vice versa. 

I've been applying for all sorts of teller jobs with different financial institutions. I have banking experience and I'm fluent in Spanish, so I feel I'm a good fit. The process is pretty glacial though, so I have to keep looking for other options. 

What's been bugging me is that a lot of the application websites these companies run make me jump through annoying hoops. They give me the option to upload a resume. I take the time to customize a resume for the particular type of job for which I'm applying. Then I upload the resume only to find that I still have to fill out a job application, complete with job history and references, which are included in my resume. 

It's frustrating. If you want a more complete view of what I've done in the past, ask me to bring a list to the interview. That's just fine. Don't have me create a resume then make me fill out an application. It's redundant.

So that's my rant for the evening. I can't wait to see what tomorrow's topic is. If it's a boring one, I'll probably finish the DMZ report.